Korean Air A380-800 Prestige Business Class

Published: 19/12/2011 - Filed under: Home » Archive » 2011 » December 2011/January 2012 » Tried & Tested » Home » Archive » 2011 » December 2011/January 2012 » Home » Tried & Tested » Airlines » Korean Air »

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PLANE TYPE A380-800

SEAT CONFIGURATION 2-2-2

SEAT PITCH 74 inch/188cm

SEAT WIDTH 21.6 inch/54.9cm

SEAT RECLINE lie-flat

PRICE Internet fares for a round-trip Prestige Business Class flight from Seoul-Incheon to New York-JFK in November started at $8,159.

CONTACT koreanair.com

First impressions The Hyatt Regency Incheon offers a free shuttle service between the hotel and the airport, which takes about 10 minutes. When I arrived at Prestige Business Class check-in, the line was long, but that’s not surprising considering the entire upper deck of this A380 is business class (94 seats in all). Still, Korean Air’s A380 layout has the fewest seats of any other airline flying the jumbo jet today.The line moved quickly and after I was checked in, I passed through the security point in about 15 minutes, on through immigration and upstairs to KAL’s premium-class lounges.Just the day before, Korean Air had unveiled a 3,600-square-foot expansion to its Prestige Class Lounge, where guests will find standard amenities like free WiFi, food and beverages, in addition to a new area dedicated to female travelers that includes a sleeping room.

Boarding The lounge was a little more than a five-minute walk from my gate and I was able to step right on board. Once I got to my seat, an attendant offered me a choice of Champagne, orange juice or water, plus English-language newspapers and a Davi-branded amenity kit with eye gel, lip balm, a hair brush, toothpaste and a tooth brush. I donned the pair of slippers provided and typed away at my computer until take-off.

SEAT COMFORT Business-class on this plane is in a 2-2-2 configuration spaced six feet apart throughout three upper-deck cabins. At 21.6 inches wide, the seats are comfortable in any of the electronically adjusted positions, especially when fully reclined to a 180-degree flat bed. The 15.4-inch personal video monitor was loaded with television shows, movies, music and games, and my laptop could be kept charged using the convenient in-seat universal power outlet.

FLIGHT The flight departed on schedule, with a smooth take-off that could make one forget about the jumbo jet’s massive size. The meal service took a little while to get in gear, and there appeared to be some kinks that needed working out amongst the crew. But this was the inaugural A380 flight and growing pains are to be expected. The menu had something to tempt every palate, with Korean and Western selections made with all-natural and organic products raised on KAL’s exclusive ranch in Jeju.After the meal, I walked to the Celestial Bar and Lounge area, where I looked over a cocktail menu that’s been created in partnership with Absolut vodka. I sampled two of these signature drinks over the course of the flight, but each one was a little heavy on the sour mix for my personal taste, so I decided to create a drink of my own, asking the bartender to add a splash of guava juice to my Champagne. There is a smaller, self-service bar in the front of the plane, as well, but I found the comfortable seating here a pleasant alternative to my seat when a neighbor’s snoring overwhelmed even my earplugs. In the lounge, I was able to work on my computer for a few hours, although I could have used an outlet here, too. It was also nice to nibble on the fresh canapés that were set out throughout the flight.Behind this bar a winding staircase leads to the lower deck and KAL’s Duty Free display. The airline took out 13 seats to make room for it, which makes complete sense considering the Koreans’ love of shopping. A smiling flight attendant waited here, offering a spritz of perfume to aid in purchase decisions, but all transactions take place back in the seat.

ARRIVAL Our flight touched down at JFK on time. Since I had no luggage to claim, I was through customs and in a cab heading home within a half-hour of landing.

BY Ally Miola

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